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Friday, 26 July 2013

Mini Review: The Arcade Episode 8 by Kitty Charles

Orlando Neale is living a double life. Outwardly, he works in his father’s bookshop, plays too many computer games and doesn’t dare speak to the woman he loves. But when no one is looking, he writes wildly romantic novels under the pen name of Orla O’Neill. Nobody knows about his female alter ego…but is that about to change?

Orlando’s father, Philip Neale, has spent far too many years alone with his books. He’s ready to move on and try to find love with a special lady from Angell’s Arcade. But before he can find his own happily-every-after, he’s got a deal with a secret of his own…

In Angell’s Arcade, the course of true love never did run smooth. But with the help of the talented Arcade women (and a plot device borrowed from Shakespeare), all’s well that ends well. Or is it?

Wow! Best episode yet! I was told that this was going to be a great episode, but as you know I am a huge fan of the march episode, well this one has truly surpassed itself! The only problem is... How do I review it without giving away any of the secrets?

Firstly, I love the fact that this months episode is set in a bookshop, I mean fabulous or what? I've been waiting for ages to get to know Phillip from the bookshop and the fact that this is more about his son, than about him (initially) just makes it even better! The irony of this months episode though is just the best thing about it, the fact that it is about someone writing books as someone else, when this whole series is written by not just one author, but 6 authors posing as one-amazing! I love the fact that we get to see how Orlando feels living this double life and how it affects his relationship with others...

Orlando's books written under his pen name featured a high-heeled shoe on each cover, a bit like another fabulous author whose books feature a high-heeled shoe on each cover and who also has a novel coming out this month... There is also a reference to the whole JK Rowling/Robert Galbraith situation which could only have been done in something which is a current as this. Another fabulous thing about this instalment is that all the other characters feature in some way throughout the episode. I really like when we get to catch up with the story lines from past episodes. We particularly get some resolution into the whole Danny and Rachael situation as well as the Libby/Erin affair and of course the sexual tension between Phillip and Eden.

If you haven't read any of the past episodes, get them downloaded now! This months is by far the best however, anything you might expect to happen does happen and it is ten times as dramatic as you might possibly expect. Because so much happens it seems to be longer than normal which is also fabulous, it will be sure to cheer you up and keep you gasping right up until the very last moment! The snake peek of September's issue is also gasp-worthy so keep an eye out for that!